.' Then I leapt into the saddle, and
spurred my horse hard, and thus I rode on without stopping, for in the
night air my senses gradually awoke and the fever of my wound left me.
And here I am--and this is all the answer that I bring back."

So saying he bared his head, and showed his brow--a thick curl of his
hair lay upon the wound and seemed to have stanched its bleeding.

Then Garcinde rose from her seat and advanced towards him as though she
had something to say, but she stopped short and remained speechless
with downcast eyes before him. Aigleta was the one to speak. "I will go
and bring linen and salves to dress the wound properly," said she; then
she looked at her friend as though she had some quite other thought,
secretly sighed, and left the two alone. And scarcely had she turned
away when Geoffroy fell on his knees before the fair and silent
mourner, and cried as he seized her hands' and pressed them
passionately to his heart: "Command me--what shall I do? For my life is
worthless to me unless I can offer it up to thee. Never should I have
betrayed the sweet pangs I endured, if sorrow had not overshadowed
thee. But now thou art no longer the Countess, the proud daughter of
Malaspina, at whom I gazed as at a star far above me. Thine is a poor
unfortunate tortured heart which will not despise another heart which
devotes itself to thee for life and death. Oh, cousin! loveliest love,
say but one word, and I mount again the horse that still stands saddled
in the courtyard, to ride back to Gaillac, and plunge this dagger into
the breast of the enemy of thy honour and peace, in the midst of all
his boon companions, even though his dogs should tear me to pieces the
next moment!"

Then she bent down towards him, and for the first time a smile played
over her pale face. "Jaufret," said she, pressing her lips to his
blood-stained brow; "the fever of thy wound shows in thy speech. Go and
lie down, and let Aigleta--who understands such tasks--wash away the
blood and dress thy wound, and then refresh thyself with sleep and
food. For by our dear lady of Mont Salvair I accept the life you offer
me. I am no rich countess to disdain such a gift, and yet I am rich
enough to repay it. While you were relating your adventure--hideous and
cruel enough to destroy all hope--I was considering what I would and
could do. But this is not the time for talking. See, here comes your
doctress, I make you over to her, and you must do all sh